By Sandra Kenneth
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that the deployment of the Armed Forces during elections must remain an exceptional measure rather than a routine practice.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja during a keynote address at a security seminar, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan—who was represented by the commission’s Director of Legal, Al-Hassan Umar—emphasized that military involvement in elections must strictly occur only when security conditions require external support for civil authorities.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria clearly delineates the responsibilities of institutions involved in the electoral process,” Amupitan stated. “INEC is constitutionally mandated to organize, undertake, and supervise elections, while the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security under the framework of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).”
A Supportive, Non-Political Role
Addressing the role of military personnel, the INEC boss explained that the Armed Forces are intended to play a “supportive rather than supervisory role, protective rather than political, and one firmly anchored in constitutional responsibility.”
According to Amupitan, appropriate military responsibilities during poll periods include:
Securing strategic national assets and critical infrastructure, assisting in the movement of sensitive electoral materials and supporting civil authorities during extraordinary security interventions.
He noted that maintaining a clear boundary between civilian election administration and military assistance is crucial to preserving public trust in both the democratic process and the military itself.
Amupitan also called on officers and personnel of the Armed Forces to uphold absolute political neutrality during election security operations.
“The Armed Forces serve the Nigerian State and the Constitution, not any political party, candidate, or individual,” he noted, stressing that every interaction between soldiers and citizens should be guided by courtesy, discipline, restraint, and professionalism.
Emerging Security Challenges for 2027
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the INEC Chairman warned that modern election security threats go beyond traditional violence. He highlighted emerging dangers, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, organized political violence, cyber-enabled interference, misinformation, disinformation campaigns, and the misuse of emerging technologies.
To mitigate these threats, Amupitan revealed that INEC is actively collaborating with security agencies via ICCES to enhance risk assessments, align operational strategies, and execute intelligence-driven solutions.
“Our collective objective is straightforward: to identify and neutralize security threats before they disrupt the electoral process, while ensuring that every eligible Nigerian can exercise the constitutional right to vote freely, safely, and without intimidation,” he concluded, reiterating that INEC remains fully neutral and committed to transparent, tech-driven elections.
